In a message dated 12/22/2003 7:01:09 AM Central Standard Time, jclarke@rose.net writes: > The more or less typical approved marriage of Colonial times was at a > second cousin level with first cousins not outside the realm of possibility. John, Thanks, I needed that whole message. But, gotta tell ya, even the Quakers approved of a second cousin level marriage... and, about the divorce rate being almost nonexistent... heck, mostly the poor wives just plain ole died, if not from childbirth, then from doing all the labor in both home and field... down to slopping the hogs... no need for a divorce. <g> I believe the "cousin marriages" probably had better chance of survival... compatibility through their genes. And, as usual, you lost me on some of these names... You seem to have the capacity to remember them, while I don't. TOMLINSON, DAME, SIRMAN, HARDEMAN, MOORES, FIVASH, STALVEY, etc. Now, the TOMLINSON name, I know is connected somewhere... and right now I'm thinking back to some of the lesser known STOCKTONs from my maternal side. Also, your so right about chasing the collaterals... if one doesn't chase 'em, they will never see the whole picture in order to really understand their ancestors. Tories or Patriots... Black Sheep and Angels... Native Americans and English, French, etc. Anne